[5] According to one study, Batlle Berres was a strong-willed executive "who incurred wide criticism for employing his exalted office to advance his own interests."

Many voters in the unthinking middle groups perceived Luis Batlle as a reasonable alternative to Jose Battle's sons, however, and he was careful to cultivate this confusion of thought.

He was the favorite nephew of his late great uncle, President José Batlle y Ordoñes, whose social laws gave Uruguay its name for progressive democracy.

It was also expected that consumers’ and buyers’ cooperatives would be organized in each colony, and that the State would provide “land, credit, and technical assistance, and assume the responsibility of building roads, schools, hospitals, and community centers, as well as industrial plants for processing agricultural products.”[14] In 1948 part-time employees of the Jockey Club who were not covered by the original fund came under the coverage of a separate fund.

[16] Starting in 1950, family allowance coverage was expanded through the extension of the age limit and the empowerment of minors in the care of older people with other occupational conditions.

In addition, the benefit was extended “to crippled or disabled children until the age of 18, totally or partially for study or definitely for work.” The limit to receive the allowance was also raised from $200.00 to $300.00.

For instance, a 6-hour day was introduced "for workers engaged in activities that are officially considered unhealthful because of working conditions or materials that are handled.

This equivalence of salary between the special schedules and the maximum legal working day shall be maintained as long as the qualification of unhealthy for the activity in question subsists.

If it exceeded that period, the female worker would earn half salary up to the term of six months, and the employment would be retained if she returned in normal conditions.

In the case provided for in the preceding article, the worker would not be dismissed, and if that were to happen, the employer had to pay "an amount equivalent to six months' salary plus the corresponding legal indemnity.”[25] In 1948, pensions were introduced for the Jockey Club (part-time) and health benefits established for 2 new groups (Congress and state bank).

[26] In 1949 the budget for school canteens and milk was increased, while new classes for children with hearing and sight defects were brought within the framework of special education.

Authorized to act independently of the other economic and financial divisions of the Bank, the new section was intended "to aid in the solution of Uruguay's critical housing problem by loaning money for the acquisition, construction, and improvement of living quarters."

[42] Under Law 11,563 of 1950 "Facilities for the acquisition, construction, expansion and tax relief of housing are given to certain officials of the National Postal Savings Fund, the General Post Office and the Legislative Branch, with rules for carrying out operations.

"[43] Law 11024 authorized the Executive Power "to take from "Exchange Differences", the amount equivalent to one million dollars (U$S 1:000.00.00) as contribution of the Republic to the International Relief Fund for Childhood, created by resolution of the General Assembly of the Organization United Nations, 11 December 1946.

"[45] Law 11413 authorized the Executive Branch "to take from General Revenue the sum of $25,000.00 (twenty-five thousand pesos) for the payment of expenses caused by the intensification of the smallpox vaccination campaign throughout the territory of the Republic, organized by the Ministry of Public health.

(twenty-five thousand pesos) monthly and until the respective budget is approved, aimed at combating epidemic outbreaks that affect children, including scarlet fever, typhoid, measles, gastroenteritis and broncho-pulmonary conditions, etc.

"[49] In its original wording, in force until 3 October 1950, among the conditions required of adopted children was that of not having the right to a pension transmitted by their natural family.

[54] In addition, Law 11,637 of the 14th of February 1951 (1951 Registro, 181–184) established retirement bonuses for persons affiliated with the civil service Fund and in the armed forces.

[56] Lasting until 1958, this corresponded to (as noted by one to one study) "the work deployed from the state by the Partido Colorado led by Luis Batlle Berres to implement a national project that picked up on the Batllist tradition and was capable of achieving ambitious goals in terms of social and economic progress" (Nahum et al., 2011: 94).

[59] During his first presidency Uruguay experienced, according to one biography, “a moment of economic prosperity thanks above all to the Korean War, which produced an increase in foreign trade.” Batlle Berres also favoured modernizing industry by safeguarding national investors and he carried out a plan to nationalize companies that remained under British control, such as the water company and the railway.

Great Britain gave in to pressure from Batlle Berres to pay off the debt it had contracted with Uruguay during the Second World War for the supply of meat.

He planned that the State should be the source of regulation between capital and labor and in that sense, according to one study," assigned it a protective function, although without considering competing or intervening with private companies."

"[61] According to one study, it was generally believed that Luis Batlle, "even while President, informally encouraged illegal strikes for improved wages or working conditions.

Employers, interviewed in 1960, indicated that there had indeed been greater sympathy for union views during this position by Executive representatives on the Councils than was true after the Blanco victory.

"[63] Batlle Berres visited the United States in December 1955 where he was, according to an obituary, "warmly welcomed as leader of one of the freest and most democratic nations in the world."

Also, at a luncheon given New York Mayor Wagner Batlle Berres criticized the United States for encouraging "strongman" governments in Latin America, saying that such regimes were the "very best breeding grounds" of Communism.

[64] Batlle Berres also sought to preserve his relations with Argentina and Brazil, the latter country he visited during the presidency of Marshal Eurico Gaspar Dutra, popularly elected in 1946.

According to one observer, however, "Difficult times would come later, because the Argentines who settled in Uruguay, fleeing the persecutions of Peronism, expressed themselves freely and Argentina aspired to silence them.

This generated a growing confrontation that would continue and even worsen over the years, to the point that after 1950, with Luis Batlle already in the National Government Council, there was practically a cutoff in the movement of people.